Mexican wedding cookies are similar to Russian tea cakes and Italian wedding cookies. They are all butter cookies which are finished with a powdered sugar coating.

These little melt-in-your-mouth butter and vanilla cookies are quick and easy to mix and bake.

They are made without eggs. The dough is similar to a shortbread, but the cookies are shaped into balls before baking. See the variations below the recipe for a lemon version, one with cinnamon, and a chocolate filled version.

Let the cookies cool a bit before you roll them in the powdered sugar a second time.

How to Make It

Heat the oven to 400 F.

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add the salt, flour, and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Fold in the chopped nuts.

With floured hands, shape the dough into small balls. Arrange them on ungreased baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

When the cookies are still slightly warm, roll them in sifted powdered sugar to coat thoroughly.

Let the cookies cool thoroughly and roll them in powdered sugar again.

Note: If freezing the cookies, roll them in powdered sugar while warm, cool completely, and freeze on a baking sheet. When frozen solid, transfer the cookies to bags; label and date. Thaw at room temperature and then roll in powdered sugar a second time.

Variations

Chocolate Filled: Shape each ball of cookie dough around a semisweet chocolate chunk.

Cinnamon: Blend 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into the flour before you add it to the butter mixture.

If you prefer, these cookies may also be flattened slightly using the bottom of a glass, the tines of a fork, or a spatula.

Store the cookies in a tightly covered container at room temperature or freeze them for up to 3 months.

This dough can be wrapped and frozen in a disk to shape and bake later. Or shape the dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet in a single layer, then transfer to freezer bags for longer storage. Defrost and bake as directed.